哥林多后书 8
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
鼓励信徒慷慨捐助
8 弟兄姊妹，我们现在要让你们知道上帝向马其顿各教会所施的恩典。 2 他们虽然遭遇极大的患难，受尽熬炼，却充满了喜乐，在极度贫穷的情况下仍然十分慷慨乐捐。 3 我可以证明，他们是甘心乐意，尽其所能地捐助，甚至超过了自己的能力。 4 他们恳切地求我们准许他们与有需要的圣徒分享上帝的恩典。 5 他们这样做超过了我们的期望，并且他们按照上帝的旨意首先把自己献给主，然后献给我们。
6 所以，我们劝提多要继续完成他早先在你们当中开始的这件善事。 7 你们既然在信心、口才、知识、热心和对我们的爱心上都有突出的表现，也要在这件善事上有突出的表现。 8 我说这话并非命令你们，而是借着别人的热心考验一下你们爱心的真伪。 9 因为你们知道我们主耶稣基督的恩典，祂本来富足，却为你们的缘故变得贫穷，使你们借着祂的贫穷可以变得富足。
10 关于捐助的事，我把自己的意见告诉你们：你们一年前开始捐助，并且甘心乐意——这对你们有益。 11 你们现在要把它完成。你们既有恳切愿意的心，就要有始有终。 12 因为人只要按自己的能力甘心乐意地去做，必蒙上帝悦纳，上帝不会强求人做无法做的事。 13 这不是说要别人脱离困境，要你们陷入困境，乃是要均平。 14 现在你们这些富足的人可以帮补那些有需要的人，以便你们有需要的时候，那些富足的人也可以帮补你们，这样才均平。 15 正如圣经上说：“多拾的没有剩余，少拾的也没有缺乏。”
托人送捐款
16 感谢上帝！祂感动了提多的心，使他像我一样热诚地关怀你们。 17 这固然是他听了我们的劝告，但也是他自己非常热诚，自愿去你们那里。 18 我们还要派一位弟兄和他同去，这位弟兄在传福音的事上得到各地教会的赞许。 19 此外，他还受各教会的委派，与我们一同把捐款送往耶路撒冷，使主得荣耀，并表明我们热诚相助的心。 20 我们这样做是为了避免有人挑我们的不是，因我们经手的捐款数目可观。 21 无论在主面前或在人面前，我们务求行事为人光明磊落。
22 我们还要再派一位弟兄和他们一同去你们那里。我们经过多次多方的考验，证实他很热心，而且他因为十分信任你们，现在更热心了。 23 至于提多，他是我的同伴，与我一同服侍你们。另外两位弟兄是众教会的代表，是基督的荣耀。 24 所以，你们要在众教会面前向他们证明你们的爱心，以及我夸耀你们的话并非虚言。
2 Corinthians 8
New Catholic Bible
The Collection for the Christians of Jerusalem[a]
Chapter 8
Example of Christians of Macedonia. 1 Now we want you to know, brethren, about the grace of God that has been bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia. 2 In a period of severe affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in rich generosity on their part. 3 I can testify that they contributed to the limit of their resources, and even beyond, 4 begging us insistently for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
5 Far exceeding our expectations, they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then, by the will of God, to us. 6 As a result, we urged Titus that, inasmuch as he had already begun this work of charity, he should bring this enterprise to a successful completion among you.
The Example of Christ. 7 Now, inasmuch as you excel in everything—in your faith, your eloquence, your knowledge, your concern for others, and your love for us[b]—so we want you also to excel in this generous undertaking.
8 I am not saying this to you as a command, but rather I am testing the genuine character of your love by the concern you show for others. 9 For you are well aware of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although he was rich, he became poor for your sake so that by his poverty you might become rich.[c]
10 I will now give you my advice about what I believe is appropriate in this matter. Last year, you were the first not only to engage in this good work but also to do so willingly. 11 Now finish it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. 12 As long as the goodwill is present, the gift will be acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13 I am not suggesting that others should have relief while you are reduced to difficult straits. Rather, there should be an equitable balance. 14 Your surplus at the present time should relieve the needs of others, so that at another time their surplus may relieve your needs, and in this way there will be equality. 15 As it is written,
“The one who gathered much did not have too much,
and the one who gathered less did not have too little.”
16 Paul Recommends the Delegates. Thanks be to God for putting into the heart of Titus a concern for you that is the equal of mine. 17 For he not only welcomed our request, but, because of his great concern, he is coming to you of his own accord. 18 Together with him, we are sending the brother who is praised by all the Churches for his proclamation of the gospel.[d] 19 In addition, he has also been appointed by the Churches to be our traveling companion as we engage in our charitable work for the glory of the Lord and to show our eagerness to be of service.
20 In this way, we want to ensure that no one will be able to criticize us for our handling of this generous collection. 21 For we intend to do what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of others.
22 And with them, we are also sending our brother[e] whose dedication we have tested in many ways and found to be exemplary. Now he is even more dedicated than before because of his great confidence in you.
23 As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker in your service. And as for the others, they are the apostles of the Churches and the glory of Christ. 24 Therefore, show these men, and all the Churches, the proof of your love and the legitimacy of our boasting about you.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 8:1 In the Churches that he establishes among the Gentiles, Paul inculcates a sense of generosity on behalf of the mother Church of Jerusalem, which finds herself in great material distress (see Acts 24:17; Rom 15:25-27; Gal 2:10). For him, this initiative is not something secondary but a sign of the authenticity of his mission. He wishes to attest in deeds, for Jews and Gentiles, that the love of Christ brings down the wall of separation so long standing between them (see Eph 2:13-17).
The Corinthians had already decided some time ago that they would take up a collection (see 1 Cor 16:1), but the project had been abandoned because of the disputes that raged among them. Paul relaunches the project. - 2 Corinthians 8:7 Your love for us: some manuscripts read: “our love for you.”
- 2 Corinthians 8:9 Paul now returns to the point, expressed earlier, about Jesus’ experience. Instead of using life and death (2 Cor 5:15) or sin and righteousness (2 Cor 5:21), he uses poverty and wealth. This passage has been interpreted by many scholars as referring to Jesus’ preexistence with God (“wealth”) (see Jn 1:1) and to his Incarnation and Death (“poverty”) (see Phil 2:6-8). Others take it to refer to phases of Jesus’ earthly existence, i.e., his sense of intimacy with the Father (Jn 10:15, 30; 11:42) and his feeling of estrangement from him in his Death (Mk 15:34).
- 2 Corinthians 8:18 The brother who is praised . . . gospel: the reference is very likely to Luke.
- 2 Corinthians 8:22 Our brother: not identified.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
